Autobiographical unique blend of melodic songs incorporating my styles of writing rock, pop, smooth jazz and big ballads to proclaim what Jesus has done in my life. Definitely more testimonial/evangelical than your typical praise & worship CDs.

11 MP3 Songs in this album (49:50) !
Related styles: Spiritual: Contemporary Christian, Spiritual: Christian Rock, Christian

People who are interested in Don Henley should consider this download.


Details:
Like many other songwriters will tell you, sometimes a songwriter will have to chase a song to catch up with it. Believe it or not, the melodies and lyrics are often "downloaded" into songwriters in complete form. Not always, but sometimes. I call these visions of songs "Snapshots".
Every song on this CD came to me in "Snapshot" form. So basically I "heard" the finished songs in my head before I physically sat down and "wrote" them. I started playing music in church after my wife, Sherri, told our preacher, Gary Edens, that I played piano in a band. Gary asked me if I played "honky-tonk" piano. I said yes. That was the real beginning for me playing music for God. Years later, I was the Minister of Music at another church. One day, the song "Come To Me" was "downloaded" into me while driving around with Sherri. I almost ran us off the road. Sherri grabbed a Subway napkin and began scribbling as she took dictation from me while we drove. We went home and I finished writing what I had already heard. Well, I performed "Come To Me" for the first time at our new church the very next Sunday and to my surprise, 3 people came up and gave their life to Christ IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS SONG ! That was it for me.
I asked God, "you mean to tell me that after decades of writing songs about everything BUT YOU, that YOU can still USE a sinful old Rock & Roller like ME to write songs about YOU? This CD is His Way of saying yes.

Song 1. COME HOLY SPIRIT- The basic melody & verses #1 & #2 were composed "as it came out", ad libbed, "on the fly" on a Sunday morning just before church officially "began." I was led by the Holy Spirit to start singing the first 2 verses that you hear on the CD. This was right before a "busy, pot luck after church" service. The whole congregation rushing everywhere, doing their "church" thing. I guess God simply wanted us to usher in the Holy Spirit & remind this church of WHY we were there that Sunday. To WORSHIP GOD. Read Isaiah 1:12
NOTES; The line in verse #3 "please.. don't give up on me" is verbatim what I cried out to Jesus years earlier in a church parking lot in New Braunfels, TX. This was the breaking point of my life. This was the moment I gave my life to Christ.
The line in verse #4 "Jesus, let me be for you, a clean vessel you will use", is my wife Sherri's line because that is always her prayer for her Women's Ministry.

Song 2. SELAH ! - Right after our church imploded due to severe pastoral indiscretions (NOT Gary Edens), Sherri and I left that "church" and went home. Together, we started reading God's Word for ourselves. We spent the next week in our pajama's reading Scripture. At the end of that week, the song Selah just poured out of me. I noticed that in Psalms, David, a fellow songwriter (psalmist) and a Man After God's Own Heart, uses this term often. Which loosely translated means "Pause and Consider This." It is also a musical direction for musical directors. But I noticed that David almost always said Selah! after he made an amazing observation about our Amazing God. So there you go.

Song 3. Child of The Living God - The scriptures that I read dealing with (1) our being adopted by God Himself (2) into His family (3) that WE ARE His children through Jesus Christ still blow my mind ! This lead to a "snapshot" I had of this song. It was being played really loud to a huge crowd at a festival of believers in Estes Park, Colorado. No, I haven't played their yet. But I heard what I heard. It was A Big Jesus Jam. I especially heard the anthem at end of this song ;
"There's One God ! He's Alive ! I Am His Child ! " For all believers that IS the Gospel ! Turns out that God loves Rock & Roll and Loud Guitars, too !

Song 4. Come To Me - This song is mentioned above. Big P.S. I was on the verge of being fired & losing everything (over $70,000 in commissions I'd earned)
I was actually told these words by my former employer. Anway, I got in at 4:00am after playing a late gig on a Saturday night. I very reluctantly got up and went to play at church that Sunday. Through exhausted, bitter tears I sang Come To Me for the 4th consecutive Sunday. The response to Come To Me had been overwhelming. By now, dozens of people had come to Christ DURING this song in under a month. Sure enough, another 3 people came up to the altar while I sang Come To Me and they gave their lives to Christ. While driving to work right after church, I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to the threat of losing my house, my family, etc. On my way to work after church, speeding past Garden Ridge Pottery on IH 35, I heard a loud voice say "I AM HERE." Then He asked me what I was crying about. I poured out my heart to The Lord about all my troubles. His response? "Its not about YOU! It's about ME. I know all about your situation." Then He said "do you remember that 3rd guy that came up this morning?" God said "I've been after him for 20 years. I know you didn't want to come this morning but you did anyway. You were obedient to Me. You did real good .I'm proud of you. YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT NOTHIN' ." The result was I DID get paid, kept my house, and my family was provided for. Later, I also heard that the 3rd guy who came up after 20 years, opened a prison ministry that is still active today providing Bibles to inmates. It gets better. Keep reading.

Song 5 - NEVER GONNA HAPPEN - This song is my testimony to what happened in that car, on that Sunday in the story above. "It may not show to look at me but not so long ago, I was the victim of a circumstance beyond my control.. It's a feeling like no other, when you hear Jesus say I've got you covered. I've got your back. I'm in your corner. You're invincible you see, because the enemy CAN'T get to you unless he gets by ME. And that's never gonna happen. Thank you Jesus

Song 6 - By The Book - Being a real hard-headed sheep in His flock, I firmly believe the old saying - "God said it. I believe it. That settles it." I also DO believe that every word of Scripture IS God Breathed. King Jesus IS coming back ! I hope you believe it, too.

Song 7 - More Than Just Forgiven - Inspired by Malcolm Smith. He once commented on a bumper sticker that believers used to put on their cars. The bumper sticker read , "Christians Aren't Perfect...Just Forgiven." Now, I'm paraphrasing here but essentially Malcolm's very British comment on this bumper sticker was, "Well, isn't that nice! If that is the extent of your relationship with Christ, then you've completely missed the point, haven't you?" Believers, We ARE so much more than just forgiven ! We're disciples of our Lord's Salvation.

Song 8 - Does Jesus Know You ? - Inspired by Matthew 7:21 On the way to write with my brothers-in-Christ, Steve Brents and David Dauer, I heard a late night preacher on AM radio, the late great Vernon McGee make the statement "The question is NOT whether you know Jesus, my friend. Heck, the devil knows Jesus! The question IS does Jesus know you" Great observation by an old school preacher. Good question for YOU to answer, too.
Read Matthew 7:21 for yourself.

Song 9 - Good Old Days - This song is about ADDICTION(s). Plain and simple. The line in this song"my old friends these days are seldom seen", the OLD FRIENDS can be alcohol, drugs, or ANYTHING that is preventing you from living the abundant life that Christ died to give you. This song deals with the loneliness that can follow when you decide to say goodbye to old things, bad habits (and sometimes people) who are NOT GOOD FOR YOU. Sometimes the only One who truly understands this loneliness is Jesus Himself. "Looking back I never knew, what life was all about til I met YOU. All I do NOW is sing Your Praise. THESE ARE the Good Old Days. Thank you Jesus. Hallelujah

Song 10 - Me & My Big Mouth - Inspired by Joyce Meyers and Malcolm Smith. This snapshot came when I saw a copy of Joyce's book Me & My Big Mouth on Sherri's nightstand. Bam! The song was done. Its an old saying. But I'm alot like Peter. I too was a foul-mouthed sheep in His flock. But Malcolm reminded me that God used that Big Mouth of Peters to build His church upon. Now for the rest of my days, WE'LL be giving Him thanks and praise, Me & My Big Mouth.

Song 11 - As For Me & My House - Faith is a choice. YOUR choice. No one can choose for you. God through Christ OFFERS forgiveness of sins, everlasting life with Him in Heaven. Not to mention provision, health, and protection here in the land of the living. But God is also a gentleman. He will NOT force you to accept Him through Jesus Christ. It is YOUR CHOICE. But you can save yourself from death, hell and the grave. Receiving Christ as Savior is the ONLY way. There's no other name under Heaven by which we MUST be saved. It's time for YOU to choose. Whom YOU will serve today. As for me and my house WE will serve the Lord.